Mini reviews of old movies, mostly VHS tapes purchased by Eli Schuster in Goodwill, Value Village and Salvation Army stores across Toronto. Think of this site as a follow-up to http://www.minireviewsminibooks.blogspot.com/

Pages

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Live and Let Die (1973)

Moore-Dalton
James Bond Movie #1 (Folks, I know this should be a review of the atrocious Diamond Are Forever. Thing is - and this is a bit embarrassing - I thought I owned a copy of DAF, and I don't. Even worse, I searched four thrift stores this evening and found nothing. I WILL review it, ASAP).

Really?: 1) Kananga has both a shark tank and a monorail in his
hideout...gee, that’s original for a Bond movie. 2) I realize three British
agents have been murdered, but what exactly, is the urgency for 007 to get cracking
on the case right now? Why do M and Moneypenny show up on his doorstep at 5AM?
3) I realize Solitaire predicts Bond’s arrival in New York, but how does he
know what he looks like, or which taxi to follow? Is there a leak in MI6? 4)
Why does Mr. Big require half of black New York to report on Bond’s excursion
into Harlem when the cab driver is one of his flunkies? 5) I could ask why the
CIA is operating on American soil, but let’s leave that aside for a
minute...why does the black CIA agent force Bond to drop the pistol and raise
his hands? I realize it makes for a suspenseful scene, but it makes no sense.
6) So, Bond openly admits that he’s going to New Orleans in order to use
Solitaire as bait for Kananga...what a guy. 7) Wait – was Bond paying attention
when his driver is killed with that poison dart? If he wasn’t, how did he get
the license plate of the white pimpmobile? 8) Bond has a fistfight with a
tougher opponent in a train compartment...didn’t we already see that in From
Russia With Love?

Rating:Live and Let Die is a better Bond movie than Diamonds Are Forever,
and its theme song is easily the best in the franchise, but that isn’t saying
much. Live and Let Die is overly long, and often feels more like a cheesy blaxploitation
film than a spy story. And after a
great first act, it quickly degenerates into one long chase scene after another. This was Roger Moore's first outing as Bond, and he's not bad. 6/10 stars.